Boot or shoe.



C. H. YOUNG. BOOT 0R SHOE.

APPLICATION IILBD 313.27, 1913.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

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WWW/eases COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON. D. C

' senting like parts.

UNITED STATESPALTENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE H; YOUNG, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CLARENCE H. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dorchester, in the county of Sufi'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Boots or Shoes, of which the following description, in connection With the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings repre- This invention relates to boots or shoes, and more particularly to a device for pulling the same onto the foot.

Boots or shoes as now commonly constructed are provided with a shoe strap of a length sufficient to form a substantially large loop through which the thumb or finger of the user may be passed to obtain a firm pull upon the boot or shoe. These straps as now commonly constructed project a very considerable distance above the upper edge of the boot or shoe when new, and after being worn are frequently bent down outside the boot or shoe, and in both instances they are unsightly and objectionable.

The present invent-ion has for an ob ect thereof to provide boot-s or shoes with a grasp-inclosing pull-on device positioned with its upper edge close to the top of the shoe upper and connected thereto as hereinafter described and claimed, and preferably positioned in the rear of the boot or shoe in such manner that the device may be grasped between the thumb and fingers of the hand applied to the outer face of the pull-on device and the inner face of the shoe upper.

Figure 1 is'a side elevation of a portion of a boot or shoe having my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the shoe shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the shoe upper is represented at l and the lining thereof at 2 in Fig. 3. The lining and upper are secured together in any suitable manner, as, for example, by stitching along their upper edges. The pull-on device is herein represented as composed of a filler 3 of any suitable form adapting it to be grasped between the thumb and fingers of the hand. In practice, I have found the triangular form shown to be efiicient. The filler may consist of a piece of sole leather, although any other suitable material may be BOOT OR SHOE.

' Patented Apr. 22, 1913. Serial No. 750,944.

employed for the purpose. In that form of the lnvention herein shown, a strip at of leather or other suitable material, preferably of the full width of the filler and preferably of a single piece, is wrapped longitudinally about the filler, leaving the lateral edges of the latter exposed. Within the scope of my invention, however, the strip may be applied only to the outer face and top of the strip. The said strip, however applied, is of suflicient length to extend substantially beyond the end of the filler at the. top thereof, and if desired, at the bottom thereof, so as to provide for securing the pull-on device in position. The said strip 4 is here shown as transversely folded along a line 5 somewhat below the lower end of the filler, the device being attached to the shoe upper at its lower end, preferably by a line of stitching 6, here shown as below the lower end of the filler 3. The strip herein shown longitudinally surrounds the filler and the ends 7, 8 thereof extend to the inner side of the upper 1 and preferably between the upper 1 and the lining 2 to any suitable distance, insuring the firm and permanent securing of the pull-on device. Herein I have shown them terminating at 9. The inturned ends are secured in any suitable manner and preferably by stitching 10, which may penetrate said ends and the upper l, and if desired the lining 2. In applying the pull-on device to the shoe upper, the inturned ends 7, 8 are preferably first secured to the upper, after which the device may be brought flatwise against the outer surface of the upper and its lower end secured, as by the line of stitching 6.

Preferably the pull-on device is unattached between its upper and its lower ends, or in other words, the inner face of the filler is preferably free from the outer face of the upper for substantially the entire length of the filler. This permits slight play between the upper and the pull-on device, thus avoiding stiflening the shoe at this point. If desired, however, and within the scope of the invention the inner face of the device may be secured throughout its. length to the shoe upper or throughout any desired portion thereof. The filler 3 may be secured within the strip 4: against displacement in any suitable manner, as by the use of cement or other adhesive.

It will be observed that the upper end of the pull-on device terminates substantially at the upper edge of the shoe upper, thus avoiding any possibility of the clothing catching between the pull-on device and the ankle or back of the leg.

ull-on device is effectively, securely and readily attached to the upper and in such a way as to in no wise detract from the appearance of the boot or shoe.

Inasmuch as the upper end or ends of the strip extend to and is or are secured to the inner face of the shoe upper, there is no danger of the pull-on device becoming separated from the shoe upper above the filler, as would be the case were the upper end or ends'of the strip secured to the outer face of the upper.

If desired, the strip may be applied to the outer face and top only of the filler, the upper end of the strip extending to the inner face of the shoe upper, where it is secured, preferably between the upper and the lining, and the lower end thereof being suitably secured to the outer face of the shoe upper. In such case, the filler is preferably adhesively or otherwise secured to the strip. In other words, it is not necessary in all cases that the strip be folded or constructed so as to be applied to both the outer and the inner faces of the filler as herein shown, though such is the preferred construction. In use, a finger and thumb are applied to the outer face of the device and the inner face of vthe lining or upper and the device is thus grasped between them, and the shoe is thus readily drawn onto the foot. The device is solid, as contrasted with an open loop, and is grasp-inclosed in use, as herein set forth.

' Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for pur poses of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims 1. The combination with the upper of a boot or shoe, of a solid pull-on device consisting of an upright filler having its upper end terminating adjacent the top edge of the shoe upper, and a securing strip ap plied to the outer face of the filler and having itslower portion secured to the shoe upper and having its upper end extended Moreover, the

to the inner face of the shoe upper and there secured.

2. The combination with the upper of a boot or shoe, and a lining therefor, of a solid pull-on device consisting of an upright filler having its upper end terminating adjacent the top edge of the upper, anda securing strip applied to the outer face of the filler and having its lower end secured to .the shoe upper and having its upper end extended to the inner faceof the upper between the latter and the lining and there secured. I

3. The combination with the upper of a boot or shoe, of a solid pull-on device con sisting of an upright filler having its upper edge terminating adjacent the upper edge of the shoe upper, and a securing strip longitudinally encircling the filler and having its lower portion secured to the shoe upper and having its upper port-ion extended to the inner face of the shoe upper and there secured.

4. The combination with the upper of a boot or shoe and a lining therefor, of a solid pull-on device consisting of an upright filler having its upper end substantially'coterminal with the top edge of the upper, and a securing strip longitudinally encircling the filler and having its lower portion secured to the outer face of the shoe upper and having its upper portion prolonged and extended to the inner face of the upper between the latter and the lining and there secured.

, 5. The combination with the upper of a boot or. shoe, of a pull-on device consisting of an upright filler having its upper end terminating adjacent the top edge of the upper and a securing strip applied to the outer face of the filler and having its lower portion extended below the filler and stitched to the outer face of the shoe upper and having its upper end prolonged and extended to the inner face of the shoe upper and there secured, the inner face of the pull-on device being free from the upper substantially the entire length of the filler.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE H. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

J. G. SUTHERLAND,

GERTRUDE B. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

